European Cargo (SE, Bournemouth) entered business administration on June 3, 2026, and the Bournemouth Echo newspaper confirmed that at least some staff members were laid off on the day.

The airline said Stuart Morris, Robert Fishman, and David Soden of Teneo Financial Advisory Limited were appointed joint administrations. The filing is not yet available via the UK company register.

European Cargo was founded in December 2020. It certified and launched operations in 2021, deploying a fleet of A340-600s in makeshift freighter configuration during the COVID-era boom for cargo business. It later added six converted A340-600(P2F)s, while the makeshift freighters were retired.

All six A340 freighters were parked in May 2026. The last revenue flight was operated by G-ECLC (msn 768) on May 19, from Karaganda to Maastricht with a subsequent ferry to Bournemouth. Five aircraft are currently parked at Bournemouth, while G-ECLN (msn 787) is at Teesside.

The airline was founded by Paul Stoddart, but was transferred to lessor European Aviation where Stoddart is owner and CEO. In February 2022, Douglas Lloyd Brennan acquired a minority stake. Since late 2024, the airline has been co-owned by The Law Debenture Corporation, whose individual shareholders are not publicly disclosed, and Carlos Miguel Amorim Dasilva, with Stoddart and European Aviation no longer involved.

European Cargo has not yet filed its financial results for 2025. In 2024, it posted USD24.2 million operating loss and USD26 million net loss.

Neither the carrier nor Teneo responded to ch-aviation's requests for comment.